This invention relates to a method and apparatus for aiding in the diagnosing and treating lower back pain by measuring the relationship between two sides of the bodies' pelvic bone, and more particularly to a method for measuring the symmetry of these two bones along the sacroiliac joint.
Distortions of the spine are principally the result of faulty postural habits, trauma or injury of some sort, or congenital deformities. These distortions and particularly distortion of the pelvic structure can result in displacement of the innominate bones and sacrum from the norm, which is believed to be the source of some lower back pain.
When diagnosing and treating lower back pain, it has been observed that there is a relationship between the asymmetry of the pelvic bone and symptoms of such pain. This asymmetry is possibly caused by incorrect shurling of the muscle groups in the lower back and mechanical problems in joints around the pelvic bone. Examples of mechanical problems include one muscle group being shorter or longer than the other resulting in the pelvis being askew. When the pelvis is askew, problems have been noticed in the lumbar vertebrae which disrupt mechanics of the skeleton.
Pain in the lower back caused by pelvic asymmetry is treated by convention methods, such as exercising the muscles around the pelvis and applying heat to the joint. The purpose of these treatments is to expand the muscles around the pelvis to correct the symmetry. It is believed that by correcting this symmetry, lower back pain is alleviated.
One method of detecting this asymmetry, also referred to as an obliquity, is by measuring the angle of the line between two strategic points along the pelvic bone, namely the posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS) and the anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS) on one side of the body with respect to horizontal, when a person is in the upright position, and then comparing this angle with line on the other side of the body. However, a person must not move when these angles are measured or the measurement may be in error. Other devices for detecting asymmetry, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,810,964 is by placing rods against the body at different points, and then measuring the height of these different points. However a drawback of this device is that it does not indicate the angle of an axis through the ASIS and the PSIS with respect to the horizon on both the left and right side of the body. Also this device does not indicate an accurate angle of tilt of the body about the angle when detected on the left and right side of the body and cannot be easily transported.